REVIEW – DAVE HAUSE

Bury Me In Philly marked a new landmark for Dave Hause. This album marked the first time he has reached the third album on any project he’s been involved with.

His time with Pait It Black ended after one (and a half). His time with The Loved Ones ended after two. But, you know what they say – if a jobs worth doing…

Bury Me In Philly takes Hause away from the punk sounds he’s been known, and down a classic rock path, filled with eclectic sounds.

Hause worked with Eric Brazilian and William Wittman (Mick Jagger / Cyndi Lauder) to produce the album and their input can be heard from the opening of With You.

The vocal led number has an immediate sense of urgency that sees soft electric sounds soar their way around Dave’s infectious pipes. With the opening line of ‘I couldn’t stop the ringing in my head,’ you’re pulled straight in to this lonely track that tells the tale of waiting by the phone for a much needed call from a friend.

Then there’s The Flinch – a resonating classic rock track that leads with a Brian Adams style riff that could easily burst into ‘I got my first real six string…’

Dave’s ability to capture the sounds of rock over the last fifty years, and then it into something unique is truly unprecedented. Much like his good friend Brian Fallon did with The Gaslight Anthem, he takes samples of Springsteen’s early anthems and adds a rawness and modern element that is truly gripping. This comes across most clearly in My Mistake, a track that sees his strongest vocal showing on Bury Me In Philly, and one that’s filled with memorable hooks, clever lyrics and a big chorus of ‘ohhhh my mistake.’

Devine Lorraine, is a brilliant soft rock / classic rock number with elements of country, that shares similarities to Brian Fallon’s Honey Magnolia. Sonically the track sees Hause offer soft strumming, with intimate lyrics where he is up close and personal with the mic.

It does however bring us back to the evolution of artists. Rise Against’s Tim McIllrath described Hause as a lifer amongst a sea of tourists. Throughout the history of music, anyone who’s make it past ten years in the industry has had to evolve and reinvent themselves, and he’s done that with each project he’s been involved with.

Dave laid his foundations in punk, and his work with The Falcon has ensured he’s stayed close to the heart of the genre. Dirty Fucker will testify to this. The track is as rough and ready as they come, moving swiftly away from the rock approach of its neighbours.

Dave Hause is fast becoming a veteran of the young blooded punk rock scene, and this album is only going to add to a reputation that has been championed by the likes of Frank Turner and Mike Skiba.